Halley needs a companion...

Okay, so I've decided that I need a serious companion. No, not a guy. I need....a puppy! And not just any puppy...a chihuahua! Yes, a chihuahua. I've been browsing puppyfind.com (totally awesome site) lately and I can't help but fall in love with them. I already have the most amazing dog ever (Molly) and I love her to death, but she lives at home in Valley so I don't get to see her too much. A chihuahua would be perfect for apartment life. I would love em and squeeze em and hug em and spoil em! However, there are a couple of obstacles. First of all, there's money. Puppies aren't exactly cheap. Then, the pet fee here is 350 bucks! Halley's a poor college student. Next comes my mom's favorite excuse to prevent me from getting a puppy. "You don't have time for a puppy." I'll admit it, I am a pretty busy girl. But I'm home most of the day! I know quite a few band people with little puppies. Meredith got a new puppy last year and she was drum major. And Track is still perfectly happy and healthy. I would take care of it! And puppies are the BEST stress relief ever. Check out these pictures and just try not to smile! It's humanly impossible. These are some of my favorites so far. :o)

Mountain Top Existence

I've come to realize that I rely far too much on "mountain top" experiences to keep me on track spiritually. I've always known this and tried to prevent it, but it's really hitting home right now. I just got back from BEHOLD, which by the way was absolutely awesome (I'll post details later). Going into it, I was really excited because I knew what was coming. Over the past few months...okay few is an understatement... I've just felt really distant from God. Things have been hectic with school and everything else that goes along with being out on my own. I haven't rebelled or anything like that, and I've still gone to church, Encounter, Bible study, etc. I just felt spiritually dry. I know everyone goes through periods like this, I just get frustrated because I feel like I can't do anything about it. That's where mountain top experiences come in for me- Behold, Chrysalis, Emmaus, and concerts. I tell myself that I'll finally get it together when I go, and it usually does the trick. While these experiences are great for bringing me a "spiritual high", I don't want this state to be such an extreme. I want to feel this close to God every single day, not just for a while after a retreat. I don't want it to wear off. I don't just want a mountain top experience. I want a mountain top existence. Every moment of every day...thirsting for God and striving to bring Him glory. I get so caught up in the things of this world. I'm trying to be in it and not of it. I don't want to just put on a smile and pretend to be happy. I should truly be filled with joy simply because I'm a child of God. As big as He is and as small as I am, He still cares enough to know every hair on my head...and that's a lot of hair! Man, it just blows me away. Yet I continuously become spiritually content. "Oh, Chrysalis is coming up in a month so it'll be fine." Why wait for Chrysalis? I've got to make my own mountain tops every day and simply refuse to come down. What's stopping me? What's keeping me from feeling this "spiritual high" with every breath? Nothing but me. It's time to move little 'ole ME out of the way.

Update

Well, it's been forever and a day since I wrote an actual blog so I figured I'd take a few minutes to update. School starts back tomorrow...I'm soooo excited...Yeah, I'm not looking forward to it at all. I've become far too spoiled during this break. It's really the first real break I've had in about two years. Last summer, I worked and had class. Last Christmas break, I was working every day. i finally got used to sleeping late again. So I'm not too thrilled about this 8 am class. Last semester was awful. I'm just hoping this one isn't so bad. I'm taking Human Anatomy and Physiology 2, World Lit. 2, Ethics, Human Odyssey 2, Concert Band, and Tae Kwon Do. Yes, I said Tae Kwon Do. I'm actually very excited about that. I'm also really excited about Encounter starting back up. I've been going through some major withdrawals. Ooo that reminds me! The Indescribable Tour is coming to Auburn!!! That's right, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio are going to be right here in Auburn, Alabama. I saw them a couple months ago in Atlanta and it was the bomb diggity. It's so worth seeing again. I can't wait! And yet another thing I can't wait for is Behold. It's less than a week away! I've been asked to do a seminar; hopefully that will go smoothly.

I planned on writing quite a bit, but I think I'll save it for later. I'm gonna try to relax a little bit. I'm sick and I've got to get up bright and early...woo-hoo. Check back for more updates soon!